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With almost 200 5-star ratings, this Mexican street corn salad is a foolproof side dish for summer barbecues, backyard potlucks, and more! It’s a healthy, simple take on elote, the delicious Mexican street vendor version of corn on the cob!
save this recipe!Your New Summer Salad
Elote is grilled Mexican corn on the cob that’s slathered with a sour cream/mayo sauce and rolled in cotija cheese. It’s basically heaven in food form.
But today we’re recreating this snack perfection in potluck-ready form, throwing in a few add-ins and lightening up the sauce with Greek yogurt! This healthier Mexican street corn salad can be thrown on literally everything.
Eggs, tacos, chips, toast, burritos, salad, spoon…they’re all perfect vessels with which to inhale it. After countless recipe tests, I can’t wait for you to try this hearty, satisfying salad.
Reader rating
“OMG, just had this with dinner and it was FANTASTIC. I’m in love with the dressing! Have only just finished dinner, but have already shared the recipe with a couple of friends.” —Anna
Grab These Ingredients
All in all, this Mexican corn salad is a quick recipe with simple ingredients (some classic, some less traditional) that are easy to find! Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements and substitutions.
- Dressing: Traditional elote is served with mayonnaise, but we’re lightening it up by using plain Greek yogurt for a quick spiced dressing. (Sour cream can also be used.)
- Corn: Use fresh corn on the cob or canned corn kernels, whatever is easiest! We’ll briefly cook it to develop those toasty charred flavors.
- Black Beans: Black beans are great, but you could sub any canned bean you have on hand (kidney and pinto beans also work well).
- Bell Pepper: A diced bell pepper adds freshness and crunch to our salad.
- Red Onion: Finely chopped zingy onion brightens things up. For a milder taste, try sliced green onion.
- Cilantro: Don’t skimp on the cilantro, which adds that distinctly Tex-Mex flair (you cilantro haters can leave it out if need be).
- Cotija Or Feta Cheese: Use crumbly cotija cheese for the perfect taste and texture, though feta is a good substitute for cotija cheese.
- Flavor Makers: Garlic, lime, and salt bring it all together for elote salad bliss. You can even throw in other spices, like chili powder or Tajin, for a kick!
how to make street corn salad
Jump to the recipe for the full printable instructions.
Step 1: Mix The Dressing
Mix up the dressing ingredients first (this can even be done hours or days in advance).
Step 2: Cook The Corn
Heat oil (or butter) over medium/high heat in a large saute pan, and then add your garlic and corn. Cook it for about 15 minutes, flipping frequently, until the corn begins to char a bit. Gently toss the mixture with lime juice and salt.
Step 3: Serve The Salad
In a large bowl, combine the corn mixture, black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Drizzle the sauce over and enjoy!
Serve It With
This Mexican street corn salad is great on its own or served as a condiment!
- Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos: Filled with good-for-you ingredients, like chopped roasted cauliflower and crispy baked chickpeas.
- Huevos Rancheros: Your breakfast game has never been so good! You can thank me later.
- Vegetarian Taco Casserole: An easy dump and bake style casserole!
Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites Recipe)
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt*, 80 g
- 1 Tbsp lime juice, 15 mL
- 1 tsp honey, 5 g
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin
Salad
- Splash of oil
- 4 ears corn, about 3 cups, 285 g of kernels, shucked and kernels removed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp lime juice, 30 mL
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup canned black beans, 200 g, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ½ cup chopped red onion, 35 g
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup cotija cheese, 88 g, crumbled, can sub feta
Instructions
- Dressing: Mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.
- Cook Corn: Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large saute pan, then add garlic and corn. Cook for about 15 minutes, flipping frequently, until corn begins to char a bit. Gently toss with lime juice and salt.**
- Serve: In a large bowl, combine corn mix, black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Drizzle sauce over and serve either warm or cold. Perfect over tacos, as a chip dip, or by itself!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
I want to make this for a potluck. If i make it 2 hrs before its served, would i put in the dressing at home before i take it over. Or just before serving
Hi Cecilia! If you’re making it 2 hours before you can just mix the dressing in when you make it. Have fun at your potluck!
This is AMAZING!!! Sooooo delicious!!! Bringing it to a dinner party tonight – can’t wait for people to try it!! Thanks for the great recipes.
So happy you liked it, Josie!! 🙂
I made this salad for my father,s 88 birthday party. I tripped the ingredients,and used frozen corn. Everyone loved it and wanted more . So glad I tried it.
Thanks so much for letting me know, Peggy! I’m so happy I could help to make your special day more tasty 🙂
I had my son taste this after I made it for the first time to see what he thought. His eyes got huge and he said, “That is good, that is really good!” He then proceeded to tell his sister how bad it was and that she should just not eat any (you know, so he could eat it all). We can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow night!
HA! This is too cute! So happy I could help contribute to his sneakiness/veggie love!!
Hey Sarah, I’ve had your recipe pinned for a while now and finally had the time to click through. What a small world! I knew exactly where you were talking about because I live in New Braunfels. I have lived here my whole life and have yet to go to The Pearl. 😉 It’s on my list for the fall.
Hope you’re enjoying Holland! Can’t wait to try your recipe this week.
Oh you absolutely HAVE to make it to the Pearl sometime soon. Between the farmer’s market, coffee shops, and La Gloria’s (the Mexican restaurant), it was always my favorite place to go on the weekends. Thanks so much for dropping in and leaving a comment 🙂 Such a small world!
I’ve heard La Gloria’s is great! Love reading your travel stories. What an amazing start to life! I’ll know who to call if we ever make it to Holland. 😉 I’ve always wanted to see the tulips.
Their sangria-margaritas are heavenly! Definitely reach out if you’re ever in this neck of the woods 🙂
This has become a mainstay for taco tuesdays at my house. The flavors are just out of this world!
So happy to hear, Meghan!! I’ve tried convincing the tulip-man we need to initiate Taco Tuesday, but unfortunately a lot of Dutch people don’t like Mexican food *sigh*. I’ll just live vicariously through you! 😀
I made this last night for a taco party. Not a kernel of corn remained! So yummy!
So happy to hear, Stacey!! 🙂
I don’t currently have any corn on the cob. Can you use another kind of corn?
Hi Jenny, you can use any corn you have on hand! Canned corn works well in this recipe, just drain it well before sautéing 🙂
In the Street Corn recipe what kind of oil do you use?
Any good cooking oil will work, like vegetable, sunflower, or olive oil 🙂
Really liked this! The only thing I would change, would be to put a little smokey heat into the dressing, otherwise it’s fantastic!